[Coral-List] 2-part Epoxy Pneumatic/Hand Powered Applicator Guns for use in Coral Restoration

[Damien Beri]

Dear Coral-List,

The Coral Conservancy, based in Hawaii is working to develop methods and techniques to train residents to identify and respond to broken and damaged corals of opportunity throughout the state. 

Optimally, “trained!” volunteers will be able to identify viable “corals of opportunity” and quickly transplant them to hospitable bare reef substrate to try and save these damaged fragments and colonies.

Currently, the best practice measures to conduct transplantation in Hawaii require numerous people. One to pick up the broken coral, one to mix the epoxy (on land or boat), one person to swim the epoxy out/down, and another person to apply the epoxy to the bottom dead portion of the broken coral. Other options include using cement which has its own drawbacks and can sometimes create harmful “plumes” which can kill corals especially in low flow areas such as our pilot-test site.

We are wondering if anyone has experience using “custom filled, 2-part epoxy applicator hand guns” or “pneumatic custom-filled 2-part epoxy guns” for coral restoration?

Smaller waterproof versatile versions of such an epoxy applicator would dramatically reduce the required human resources necessary to conduct a basic “coral of opportunity” transplant. 

Some thoughts are to create a regulator with an additional attachment to the scuba tank, or even pony tank that can power a waterproof pneumatic 2-part epoxy gun?

The 2-part epoxy we are using is very thick and so I would imagine we would need something that’s pretty strong. 

The dream is that “Trained!” volunteers would report broken/damaged corals to the Coral Conservancy who would approve/disapprove their proposed transplant, and upon approval the “trained!” volunteer would “borrow” a 2-part epoxy applicator, and camera/documentation gear to conduct the transplant and properly document it through a standardized process. 

Warm Regards,
Damien Beri